input on a school paper about libertarians.

[haaaylee]

so my teacher has decided to have us write a paper on a political party of our choice, i clearly chose Libertarian. basically all i have to do is answer the following questions, and i know the answers to them, but i'd still like some input on what all i should say. specifically in regards to the first question.



1. Who does this political party cater to? (who are the constituents - income level, educational level, age, gender, etc.)


2. Does anything in the Platform Preamble stand out to you? Please explain why it stands out.


3. Where does the party stand on:

a) Abortion


b) Religious Freedom or prayer in school


c) Immigration


d) Death penalty


4. Give, at least ONE, solution to any problems that the party notates. Explain.


5. Is the United States a one-party, two-party, or multi-party country? (you could make an argument for any of these answers) ALSO, what is the importance of this party, that you have chosen, in American politics?


6. Was there anything that stuck out to you as you read through the party's platform or as you visited their website or in the textbook? Explain why it stuck out to you.

[tremendoustie]

so my teacher has decided to have us write a paper on a political party of our choice, i clearly chose Libertarian. basically all i have to do is answer the following questions, and i know the answers to them, but i'd still like some input on what all i should say. specifically in regards to the first question.


1. Who does this political party cater to? (who are the constituents - income level, educational level, age, gender, etc.)


Though it doesn't always live up to its charter, it was conceived to cater to those of all ages, incomes, genders, or educational levels, who support freedom, and reject the idea that we should use violent threats to force our preferences on our neighbors, or take their property.



2. Does anything in the Platform Preamble stand out to you? Please explain why it stands out.


"We believe that respect for individual rights is the essential precondition for a free and prosperous world, that force and fraud must be banished from human relationships, and that only through freedom can peace and prosperity be realized."

This stands out to me, because while most people recognize force and fraud as immoral ways for individuals to interact, many seem to think it's ok when government is used to these ends.

Libertarians, by contrast, consistently oppose these behaviors.



3. Where does the party stand on:

a) Abortion


It has no single position on this issue -- libertarians can be for or against abortion. The key question for libertarians seems to be, is the baby/fetus a person, with rights, or not?



b) Religious Freedom or prayer in school


Libertarians want to remove schools from government control, so that people can send their kids to schools that suit their needs and preferences.



c) Immigration


Principled libertarians oppose immigration law, and believe that free people should be able to freely cross borders.



d) Death penalty


Libertarians do not all have the same position on the death penalty.



4. Give, at least ONE, solution to any problems that the party notates. Explain.


This question is unclear to me.



5. Is the United States a one-party, two-party, or multi-party country? (you could make an argument for any of these answers) ALSO, what is the importance of this party, that you have chosen, in American politics?


It's a one party country -- the republicans and democrats both have consistently supported more war, secret prisons, domestic espionage, larger domestic government, violations of personal, civil, and economic liberty, etc. There is no significant difference between federal politicians representing either party -- they both want to collect more power and money for themselves, and for their friends.



6. Was there anything that stuck out to you as you read through the party's platform or as you visited their website or in the textbook? Explain why it stuck out to you.

Instead of wrestling over which side's going to use the government to forcibly impose their preferences on the other, we should be respecting our neighbor's choices. If a person doesn't harm their neighbors, or their neighbor's property, how they live is their business.

[Jordan]

If I had this assignment, I'd do it on the Republican party. Though it'd take a lot of work, I'd do the Republican Party in different time periods.

Example:

Republican party in 1991: War is awesome!

Republican party in 2000: War is bad, mmmkay?

Republican party in 2001-2010: War is fuckin awesome.

[TruckinMike]

Quote:
Originally Posted by haaaylee View Post
c) Immigration

Principled libertarians oppose immigration law, and believe that free people should be able to freely cross borders.

There is a contingent of libertarians that believe ones country should be protected via immigration law. --- Ron Paul is one of them. However, Ron Paul has also said that he is a Constitutionalists. The point being, there is a divide amongst Libertarians on that issue.

TMike

[StilesBC]

I would say it caters to well-educated people. Those who understand that the use of force or coercion is a poor means to any end. Poorly-educated people are liable to fall for popular fallacies like "the paradox of thrift" or wealth redistribution schemes.

I'm sure that will stir the pot a little. :-)

[fisharmor]

4. Give, at least ONE, solution to any problems that the party notates. Explain.

It doesn't matter what the problem is - libertarians will generally (with limited exceptions) state that voluntary associations outside of the state's influence are always best equipped to deal with the problem.

The usual response is that outside of state intervention a problem can not be solved. Libertarians would respond by saying that despite having vast sums of money, destruction of property rights, incarcerations, and lawful and unlawful executions at its disposal, government universally fails to eradicate the problems it promises to address - and in many cases actually exacerbates it.

Also, libertarians are generally VERY careful to point out that society is going to have problems no matter what method is used to address them. We don't think we're going to reach some utopian state through any means. We're simply saying that small or no government would minimize the amount of force human beings use against each other, which I see as the greater problem (particularly since it doesn't solve anything most of the time).

[RedBloodConservative]

so my teacher has decided to have us write a paper on a political party of our choice, i clearly chose Libertarian. basically all i have to do is answer the following questions, and i know the answers to them, but i'd still like some input on what all i should say. specifically in regards to the first question.

Good Choice. I rem when I was taking Politics in College I had to select a party outside of the one I side with and write a 25 page paper on them/ I chose the Constitution party.



1. Who does this political party cater to? (who are the constituents - income level, educational level, age, gender, etc.)
It caters to those who want the Goverment to be Limited in their powers, the complete opposite of what we have now. Those who believe that individual rights of the person shall not be infringed. As much as the constitution party says this also, I have noticed that only Liberterians are the ones backing it up. Outside the Tea Party(which isnt a political group)
Income Level? Why is this always a question. Income level in the Liberterian Party ranges from poor to rich. My brother is broke, no job, and he is a liberterian, I myself make 60-80k a year and I am a liberterian. My Boss makes over 150,000 a year and he is also a registered Liberterian

Age: The age thing is kinda null on this. Because age is also broad. My brother is 21, I am 27, my father in law is 40, and my uncle is 51. However from my viewpoints of liberterians I see most Ages ranging from the 22-30 crowd, and the 35-45 crowd in my area, or the meeting I have attended. Which it is great to see the younger generations waking up and seeing the truth.

Education Level: Again it ranges from No diploma, all the way to doctorate degrees. Dr. Ron Paul, Dr. Rand Paul. I myself have a B.S, my brother has a diploma, and my brother in law has nothing but a G.E.D.

Race: Although this can be debated. the Majority of Liberterians seem to be of the White race. HOWEVER!!!!! The African American presence is waking up to see the light of them to quit voting how they have been taught, and are starting to rise up in the liberterian movment.

Gender: Yet again although I see more Males in the movment in my area, alot of females are starting to come aboard.

2. Does anything in the Platform Preamble stand out to you? Please explain why it stands out.
There are a few things in it that stand out to me:
"Consequently, we
defend each person's right to engage in any activity that is peaceful and honest, and welcome the diversity that
freedom brings. The world we seek to build is one where individuals are free to follow their own dreams in their
own ways, without interference from government or any authoritarian power."
Freedom is what stands out!




3. Where does the party stand on:

a) Abortion
Although each Liberterian is differant: I myself am 100% Pro-life. My friend is Pro-choice. Heres what the Liberterians Official stance is
"Recognizing that abortion is a sensitive issue and that people can hold good-faith views on both sides, we
believe that government should be kept out of the matter, leaving the question to each person for their
conscientious consideration." Most Liberterians believe that it should be up to the state to mandate the laws governing abortion.


b) Religious Freedom or prayer in school
Liberterians are both for and against this. Because they do not want the goverment in control of the schools. Hell thats why scholls are bad right now. So instead they want you as a parent to be able to send you kid to a school that holds the beliefs you do. Although most Liberterians I talk to, even those that are athiests see no problem with Prayer or Religious freedom in public schools.


c) Immigration
Again their are differing views...For instance tremend posted about open and free borders.. I disagree with this. I think we need stricter Border control and not allow illegal aliens in to steal our money and the taxpayers.
howver most liberterians view it like this " Libertarians are prepared to welcome refugees, and the LP works against discriminatory policies. In addition it states that a free market requires the free movement of both capital and labor across borders. The platform does allow for control over the entry of people who pose a credible threat to security, health, or property"
However some bigger names in the movement such as Lew Rockwell and Dr. Ron Paul have voiced some concerns over the older liberterian view of open borders.


d) Death
Since Liberterians are more open minded, and the party itself believes that each person has rights, the views on the death penelty are differance. I personally believe it needs to be brougtht back nationwide and used. Others do not like the idea of the death penalty.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libertarian_perspectives_on_the_death_penalty


4. Give, at least ONE, solution to any problems that the party notates. Explain.
Depends on who you ask. If you ask a Liberal, Rhino, or Neo-Con you will get many answers. However In my view the only problem is no set standards on certain issues. Like Abortion, and Immigration- These are two huge problems that the goverment wastes alot of money on(that we as taxpayers pay for). Thats my opinion though.


5. Is the United States a one-party, two-party, or multi-party country? (you could make an argument for any of these answers) ALSO, what is the importance of this party, that you have chosen, in American politics?
This country according to the media is a two -party system. The Repubs and the Democrats. However upon close look, both the Dems and repubs are not that much differant. they are both ran by lobbyists and big goverment organizations. the Liberterian Party is a party that is trying to get these people to wake up and get back to the constitution and get our freedoms pack. Thanks to the tea party, the Liberterians have been getting some much needed exposure finally.
The Importance of this party is that it is a party that doesnt want big Goverment, unlike the other two main ones. It is about the "people" unlike the other two

6. Was there anything that stuck out to you as you read through the party's platform or as you visited their website or in the textbook? Explain why it stuck out to you.
its the only party that gives someone more freedom to believe as they choose yet to work more towards the things that matter....


yep:) Have fun with the paper..I am suprised they didnt ask about this UNCONSTITUTIONAL WAR WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW!

[fisharmor]

yep:) Have fun with the paper..I am suprised they didnt ask about this UNCONSTITUTIONAL WAR WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW!

The war in Iraq, war in Afghanistan, war in Pakistan, war in Korea, war on Wikileaks, war on drugs, war on poverty, war on terrorism, or the war on the American people?

[tremendoustie]

There is a contingent of libertarians that believe ones country should be protected via immigration law. --- Ron Paul is one of them. However, Ron Paul has also said that he is a Constitutionalists. The point being, there is a divide amongst Libertarians on that issue.

TMike

He's not a principled libertarian on that issue -- although he is on every other issue I can think of.

If I own my land, I have a right to allow anyone on it I choose, including people from mexico, even if they haven't jumped through a bunch of bureaucratic hoops. If I own my business, I have a right to hire them. The US federal government doesn't own the country.

Now, I completely support eliminating the welfare state, and other socialist programs some immigrants use or abuse -- but the federal government deciding who can work for whom, or which tenants you can allow on your land, is not the answer.

[speciallyblend]

The war in Iraq, war in Afghanistan, war in Pakistan, war in Korea, war on Wikileaks, war on drugs, war on poverty, war on terrorism, or the war on the American people?

^^^^^^^^^ fight Domestic Terrorists, Vote'em Out!!

[Andrew-Austin]

Umm people, it sounds like her paper is supposed to be about the POLITICAL PARTY, not the philosophy.

[TruckinMike]

He's not a principled libertarian on that issue -- although he is on every other issue I can think of.

If I own my land, I have a right to allow anyone on it I choose, including people from mexico, even if they haven't jumped through a bunch of bureaucratic hoops. If I own my business, I have a right to hire them. The US federal government doesn't own the country.

Now, I completely support eliminating the welfare state, and other socialist programs some immigrants use or abuse -- but the federal government deciding who can work for whom, or which tenants you can allow on your land, is not the answer.

I agree with your above points.... If the entire world was Libertarian. And all "legalized plunder" was outlawed. So far neither of those issues are implemented.

So do we allow all walks of life in now -- Before we have implemented libertarianism throughout the world? And while the masses of moochers can still VOTE us into enslavement?

Here is the question of the day --- Is principled libertarianism the chicken or the egg?:eek:

TMike

[mczerone]

It sounds like I would turn around and write a paper about the assignment. It makes you think in collectives, it presupposes "issues" that are supposed to define political discourse, it assumes that catering to more people is more important than being correct, it asks you to subdivide the US system into opposing classes, it ignores the vast differences within parties that are often wider than those between parties, and it flat out ignores the political apparatus in favor of looking at the window dressing.

Imagine this assignment:

Should the Wizard be covered by pure emerald curtains? Translucent ones? Patterns? Compare and contrast the different types of curtains that the Wizard has selected, and tell us what stands out to you about his description of them. Do you support having trim at the foot of the curtain, or should the curtain come flush to the ground?

My response would be: it doesn't matter one damned bit. Let's talk about the Wizard.

So too for this paper. You should make it clear that these Political Parties, and all the questions in the assignment about them, don't matter. Point out that their only purpose is to keep the Donkey fighting the Elephant, and keep the adherents from begging to look behind the curtain. Just let them think they'll have a chance to wield power, and they'll never stop to think if this method of power is just.

[heavenlyboy34]

OP: the LP website covers pretty much all the issues you need for your paper. If you subscribe to the LP e-newsletter, they cover specific issues and controversies of the day.

[tremendoustie]

I agree with your above points.... If the entire world was Libertarian. And all "legalized plunder" was outlawed. So far neither of those issues are implemented.

So do we allow all walks of life in now -- Before we have implemented libertarianism throughout the world?


Yes!



And while the masses of moochers can still VOTE us into enslavement?

It's unfair to suppose that because a person is from elsewhere, they are a "moocher" -- and plenty of moochers are US natives. I mean, if geographically based generalizations about people are what we're going on, it'd make more sense to deport New Yorkers and Californians -- but then, what about all of the freedom loving New Yorkers and Californians, who aren't looking to harm others at all?

It's the old notion of using the state to crush the other side before they use the state to crush you. It's a fool's game -- we all end up loosing.

Fundamentally, to ban others from hiring people from a certain geographic area is wrong.



Here is the question of the day --- Is principled libertarianism the chicken or the egg?:eek:


Whichever one comes first :p

More government control isn't the way to freedom. It's like Tolkein's ring of power -- tempting, but ultimately good for nothing but more evil.

[speciallyblend]

I expect an A+ on your paper;)